Pop-corn machine



Aug. 28, 1928. 4 1,682,018

s. NELSON POP CORN MACHINE Filed Oct 14, 1927 1 4 if 16 6. 1 42 f if 16 Swan NeZs'on,

IN VENYUR.

A TTORNE Y5.

. ring display are'usually complicated in their considerable iatentecl Aug. 28, 1928.

'UNITEDa-STATES (SWAN NELSON, or CHICAGO, rumors.

nor-001m MACHINE.

Application filed Qctobcr 14, 1927. Serial No. 226,179.

minimum of space consistent with the na-' ture of its construction and operation, in order that it may take up a small amount of room wherever installed.

A still further object of the invention is to design working element whichit attractive and fascinating to the observer,

whereby to make the displayvdraw the attention of spectators and patrons.

Another ob ect of the invention ls'to em ploy a vessel of a transparent material,"

whereby the working and effect of the machine may be more fully observed.

A final but nevertheless important object of the invention is to construct the novel machine with few parts, so that its cost may be low and its handling easy.

lVith the above objects in view and any others that may suggest themselves from the specification and claims to follow, a better understanding of "the invention may be gamed by reference to the 'accompanylng drawing, in which" Figure 1 is an elevation of the novel machine, partly in section; and

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same.

It is a familiar fact that machines used for "popping corn with the efli'ect of a workmechanism and occupy a amount of space for which reasons they are generally expensive. It has been my belief that a suitable machine with attractive display features could be produced at asmall eXpcnse without the use of many parts or the sacrifice of attractive value, I have, therefore, designed thenovel machine to accomplish the objects above contemplated in an efficient manner.

Referring specifically to the drawing, 5 denotes the vessel constituting the main element of the machine. This vessel is partcircular, with high side walls and a curved bottom 6, giving the suggestion of a trough. The vessel is suitably supported on legs or posts 7 over a tray 8, which receives the popped corn; or, the machine may be installed in a window or glass counter which becomes piled up with the popped corn as the machine contiues to produce it. Under the vessel 5 is suitably disposed a gas burner 9, but I do not wish to limit myself to this type of burner as I may use an oil burner, or an electric heating element immediately underthe vessel to heat the same.

Near the upper part of the vessel are formed bearings 10 to receive a cross-shaft 11 which spans the vessel. The cross-shaft 1s extended to the front as shown, or to the rear if it is so preferred, to receive a chainand-sprocket drive 12, 13. This drive may receive its motion from an electric or other motor, suitably geared to operate the crossshaft 11 at slow speed.

The cross-shaft 11 receives a two-armed spider let at whose ends are formed grid members 15. Each of these is substantially rectangular in form and formed with a series of parallel bars 15 disposed in a directlon longitudinal of the spider. The grid members are so designed that they may course through the lower portion of the vessel singly as the spider is rotated, with the outermost cross bar 15 very nearly in contact with the bottom offthe vessel; also, the bars 15 are so spaced as to clearly permit the passage of popping corn, but to'bar the transformed product, that is, the popped corn, such product usually being several times the size of the popping corn. Thus, as the grids sweep though the bottom of the vessel they will not take with them the popping corn, but only the popped corn.

In, order that the grids may more readily dump the popped corn as they emerge from the vessel they are deflected rearwardly, considering the motion ofthe spider in the direction of the arrows, from the spider arms 14, as clearly shown in Figure 1. With the discharge-end of the vessel also cut down as indicated at 16, it will be seen that what popped corn has been picked up by a given grid will readily roll off the grid into the vessel 8.

The object of the final cross-bar 15 of each grid is to sweep the bottom of the vessel, so as to prevent any popping corn kernels from remaining in one place and becoming burned. Ordinarily, the kernels will not be taken along on the up-course of the grid, since they will fall out of the meshes thereof and backinto the lower part of the vessel. There may, however, be a number of kernels carried immediately in front of 

